Following Fate
by Kakiryu
Summary: AU! Slash! Threesome! When James told his wife to run away that fateful night, she apparated to the safest place she knew - Hogwarts. Splinching herself in her panic, Lily Potter died within the Forbidden Forest, leaving her son to be raised by the creatures living there. HPBZDM.
1. Prologue

**Very long, but very important Author's Note:** Readers! This is the newly updated version of Following Fate's prologue. This is also the new style with which I will be writing this entire story. At the moment, I have all the way up to chapter 5 or so written, but each of the new chapters is significantly longer than the old versions and more is incorporated into each chapter. I sometimes combined old chapters or I wrote entirely new content in to help bulk chapters out and to give you more backstory. I want you all to know more about Heron and what's going on. I also feel my portrayals of the characters in the first version were a little flat and less relatable than how I plan to make them now.

Another thing I did in this new version was I got rid of the original way Fate/the Forest/Heron's Guardian was represented. This felt forced and very…I dunno, childish(?) to me. I wanted the new version of Fate to be more like the Forest guiding him in a discrete and subtle way. It would leave more up for Heron's interpretation than having someone tell him what he should do/think. Thoughts?

Anyway, for this first update of the new chapters, I wanted to put the old version and the new version side by side. That way you can see the difference in how it's written and what is actually revealed. I will be getting rid of this side-by-side comparison after I update a little more.

Author's personal warning though: I am really horrible about actually sitting down and writing. I do it in bursts, writing a few chapters over one week and then not doing anything else for a long time. I get distracted by real life…And if I encounter a problem (like a chapter accidentally being deleted), I get discouraged and don't want to work on it. I really do appreciate you guys sticking with me and your reviews make me want to continue. I don't want to disappoint you, especially those of you who are most loyal.

That's pretty much all of it for my author's note. Please, enjoy the newly improved version of Following Fate.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own a fair amount of the characters or locations depicted in this story, although I will claim a few as my own. I hope you enjoy my takes on those both canon and original.

**Language Key:**

"English"

_"Avantas" – This is the language all creatures use to communicate with each other_

* * *

There was something magical about the full moon on a dark night. The way it glowed softly, encircling the entire Forest with its luminescence...The roundness of it, like a swollen belly, waiting to give birth to a new season...Its magic was a type anyone could feel and understand. The beauty of it had nothing to do with its ability to turn man into beast.

Heron dropped his eyes from the moon and turned to look at his pack. The werewolves were playful tonight. They usually were after a good hunt though. Tonight, they managed to take down an injured griffin who had been wandering through the goblins territory. It was a good kill. The male griffin had been strong and meaty. If not for his injured wing, he would have gone on living for quite a while longer. As it was, the body fed the entire pack of thirty wolves. Now, only a few of the younger pups playfully fought over the remains.

The youth smiled as he surveyed part of his extended family. No one in the world could be luckier than he. His family was massive, stretching for miles and miles around. Werewolves, vampires, centaurs, veelas...and so many others. The forest was his home, and everyone in it belonged within his heart.

Sometimes, he wondered what would have happened if his birth mother hadn't left him under the care of the Forest. Would he even be alive? How would his life have turned out if the unicorns hadn't taken him in?

He brushed the thought away. There was no use in dwelling on the past. His birth mother was tragically gone and the unicorns cared for him like their own son. To everyone else, he was a brother, a cousin, a nephew. He was simply Heron.

_"Come play with us, Heron!_" the pups yipped at him, catching his attention. _"You can even be predator this time!"_ The youth smiled at that. The little ones always wanted to play predator in their games of Predator and Prey. It was a good way for them to work on their hunting skills, but they really did need to be 'prey' more often. It could teach them a lot about how prey thinks and acts under stress.

"Okay, okay," he said, climbing off his rock as the little ones crowded him in their excitement. He stretched, testing his legs and arms. Being a human among wolves gave him the disadvantage of only having two legs, but he had enough skills to make up for that. _"I'm going to count to five...And then I'm going to catch you and eat you up! One...Two..."_ The little wolves took of giggling madly. They really did make horrible prey.

Rolling his eyes, Heron kept counting. _"Three...Four...Fi...ve..."_ The last number died on his lips as he spotted a new wolf enter the clearing hesitantly. They rarely got visitors this far out from the Forest's edge. Perhaps it was a new wolf seeking for a pack? It was not an unheard of thing. Wolves needed packs, and the Forest pack was one of the largest in the area. On more than one occasion, a lone werewolf from outside of the Forest had been drawn in by the power of the pack.

Heron pushed a long lock of black hair from out of his eyes before glancing over at Nevier, the pack's alpha. Their eyes locked for a seond – green meeting gold - before the youth respectfully dropped his eyes to the alpha's chin. In the dominance hierarchy, Heron was usually high up then Nevier. However, on a full moon, the alpha took precedence.

Without looking into the grey wolf's eyes, the youth tilted his head towards the newcomer questioningly. Had Nevier any knowledge of someone interested in joining their pack? Did he smell a threat upon the blonde wolf currently making his way towards them? The alpha sniffed the air experimentally before shaking his head. No ill intent in the air. He slowly turned to look at the new wolf, curiosity in his gold eyes.

"_Stranger,_" Nevier greeted. His voice was low and sent a rumble through the chests of those gathered. _"Where do you hail from?_"

The new wolf lowered his chest to the ground, taking a position of submission, recognizing the authority in the alpha's voice. "_I hail from outside of the Forbidden Forest, near Hogwarts, the school for witches and wizards. I…teach there when I am…human,_" he said, voice carrying a strange waver to it. It had a feel of fear and hunger to it.

"_When you are human?"_ The grey alpha chuckled in amusement, black lips quirking up in a canine smile. _"If you are a werewolf, you are never really human. You should know that,_" he said. "_What is your name, wolf?_"

_"I…"_ The blonde wolf seemed at a lost for a moment. _"My wolf side is called Moony. I normally drink a potion and curl up underneath my office desk on full moons. But today…Today, I forgot to take my Wolfsbane potion and…and the next thing I knew I was running through the woods. I could feel your pack. I never felt that before. I…_" He trailed off, nose sniffing the air. "_What is that…?_"

Suddenly, the small wolf's amber eyes snapped over near the rocks, where Heron still stood. His pupils dilated to ridiculous proportions and a long line of saliva started to form in the corner of Moony's mouth. Within moments, the wolf had gone from a submissive stance to that of a predator. The change startled Heron. It had been a very long time since any werewolf had looked at the young man with hunger.

Heron put a hand inside the small pack tied to his leather shorts and withdrew a short stone blade. As much as he detested being called human, he was one. He had sharp teeth and nails like claws, but against a hungry werewolf, his defenses were lacking.

As the black haired youth crouched into a defensive position, he became aware of a new sound in the clearing – growling. Every pack member was growling in a terrifying yet harmonious choir. They, without words, were warning this stranger of the harm which would be done to him should he attack. It filled Heron's heart with warmth for his family.

It was also enough to pull Moony back to his senses. The small wolf crouched back down, petulantly._ "Why do you protect food?"_ he asked, voice harsher than before. It also was a deeper pitch, which was unusual in the wolves Heron knew. There seemed to be a very distinctive difference in the two sides of the blonde.

_"This is not food, this is pack,"_ Nevier growled, danger prevalent in his tone. "We do not attack pack."

Moony's eyes, still dilated with hunger, followed Heron's every move. _"It is not wolf, and it is not wolf's predator. How does food become pack?"_ he asked, sounding genuinely curious. _"How do you restrain yourselves in tearing it apart?"_ His now nearly black eyes were starting to lighten again. That was a good sign.

When the stranger had entered the clearing, many of the cubs had run for cover. Now, one of them cautiously crept toward Heron. "_Heron's pack because we love him!_" A few other cubs yipped in agreement._ "He's also the unicorn prince! They'd be really mad if we ate him. But we wouldn't anyway because we love him!_" The tiny cub put her forepaws against Heron's legs, wagging her tail when he looked down at her.

The alpha hid a smile and glanced sternly at the cub, motioning with his nose that she return to safety with the others. As he watched her do so, he spoke to Moony. _"We are not subject to the crazed nature many werewolves outside the forest seem to suffer. We are able to control ourselves and think with reason. And, Victoria is correct. We do have a soft spot for the unicorn prince."_

Heron smiled at the alpha in pleasure before looking back into Moony's eyes. They were amber again, but he could see hunger still dwelling in their depths. There was also something in the wolf's eyes that called to the young man. Behind the amber glassy surface, the colors dipped and swirled. A pulse beat, dragging Heron deep within them.

It was something…that touched his very soul. He had seen eyes that called to him like that before. The same potential laid in Moony. So, within minutes of staring into those amber depths, Heron knew what he had to do. _"Moony, in the morning, will you return to this school of yours?"_

The blonde wolf nodded slowly._ "I…I cannot stay here, as much as I may desire to learn more about this control the wolves living here possess,"_ he said.

Heron made a mental note to himself about Moony's desire. He found it odd werewolves on the outside lacked control. He hadn't known such a thing was true; although, it would make a lot of sense. Many outsider wolves ended up staying with the pack once the moon began to wane, rather than going out of the Forest again. It was the primary reason Nevier's pack was so large.

_"When you return to this school, I want you to take me with you,"_ he said, his voice commanding rather than asking it. Almost immediately following his words, the pack broke out into a loud commotion of confusion and dismay. He raised his hand though, smiling slightly. _"I see something in his eyes."_

The protests lessened significantly; however, the pack's general disagreement over his statement was abundantly clear. _"While you are pack – through bonds of friendship and respect – I cannot command you against such folly,_" the alpha said, ears flattened in distaste of the situation. "_The only thing that gives me comfort is my knowledge in your strong relationship with this land. If the Forest chooses to put an opportunity before you in the form of this strange wolf, I must trust it…and you. You have good instincts. Use them,"_ he said, gold eyes boring into the young man.

Heron nodded. _"I will,_" he promised. _"I cannot tell you more of what I see right now. Nor will I be able to tell you in the morning. Only time will be able to reveal the answer. For now, I suggest we continue with the night. The moon is still high in the sky. There is still some griffin left, and there is plenty more to hunt besides. Let us make the most out of this beautiful full moon."_

The alpha nodded his consent before casting his glance over the entire pack. _"Yes,"_ he said. _"Let us feast and make merry._" His tone was jovial, but he felt a foreign emotion stirring within his breast: fear. He could feel change in the air.

* * *

So, please, thoughts on the new version? I really want your input on this one, readers!


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own a fair amount of the characters depicted in this story, although I will claim a few as my own. I hope you enjoy my takes on those both canon and original.

**Language Key:**

"English"

_"Avantas" – This is the language all creatures use to communicate with each other_

* * *

The next morning, it was the lighthearted birdsong of the Forest that woke Heron from his sleep. Their calls hailed in a new day, filled with possibilities. He wondered, briefly, as he blearily stared into the Forest's canopy, what would the day hold for him?

If he was completely honest with himself, he was afraid of the answer to that question. He could count on one hand how many times he had left the land he called home. There was a familiarity to the trees he would miss once he left. He remembered hearing once there were no trees outside of the Forest, neither dirt nor grass…He hoped these rumors were unfounded.

Shaking these thoughts from his head, Heron closed his eyes and stretched to help loosen his muscles before he rolled into a sitting position. Hunting with the werewolves always tested his strength and stamina. The wolves could run for hours on end, chasing some elusive quarry before it was finally caught. Heron could go for quite long himself, but there was a distinct difference between natural ability and supernatural ability.

Honestly though, he really shouldn't complain about whatever soreness he acquired from a wolf hunt. Unlike the pack, his body wasn't forced to change on full moons. It was a very painful and gruesome experience, they told him. He believed them. The brunette saw the way their bones would contort, and he heard the pained howls. The werewolves of the Forest were able to maintain full control over their minds during a full moon, but they had yet to find a way to maintain control over their bodies.

Heron slowly climbed to his feet and looked around the clearing. Normally, he was the first to wake after a full moon, as he was the only one who didn't go through the change. In the minutes to hours he had to himself before the others would awake, he often cleaned up the clearing or mended ripped garments. It was the least he could do for this branch of his extended family.

This morning, however, when he surveyed the clearing, he saw none of his wolves slumbering away. Instead, they sat clustered in a circle near the small wooden lodge they used for shelter when their bodies weren't covered in fur. They seemed to be discussing something important – he guessed they were discussing him when they fell silent as he approached.

"_Hail, brothers and sisters. What has you up so early this morn?"_ the black haired youth asked, though he had a fair inkling. The news he was leaving with Moony this morning was big. _"Normally, you are still lying about at this hour." _

Victoria, one of the small female pups turned towards Heron and whimpered, looking up at the youth with big blue eyes. _"You're really gonna leave us?"_ she asked.

Before Heron could open his mouth the respond, the pup's mother patted him on the head in light admonishment. "_Don't start crying now, Victoria,_" she said. "_Our Heron has promised to come back for good when he has finished his little adventure and to, of course, visit when he gets the time." _She nodded slightly at the young man before her, knowing he had promised no such thing. Her face made it evident, however, that the entire pack expected such from him.

Reading the request for what it was, the brunette bowed his head in acknowledgement. He would have planned nothing less, really. His family was important to him, even while he engaged in such a…quest, as what he would call it.

"_I promise I will be back to visit,"_ Heron said before looking at all the pups. _"And I expect all of you to become mighty hunters while I am gone, you hear?"_ He grinned brightly, effectively breaking the tension over the group_. "You study hard here and I will study hard at this school too. Now…Speaking of such, have any of you fine wolves seen a strange blonde wondering around here?"_

Alpha Nevier made his way through the small circle of pack and patted Heron on the back with a heavy hand. _"I saw him run behind those trees when he first woke,"_ the man said, voice a deep and pleasant baritone. _"I believe our new friend is embarrassed by nudity – his and our own."_ The idea was amusing and sent a chuckle through the adults. Whenever a new wolf from the outside joined the pack, they would display the same 'modesty'. They all got over it eventually though.

Clothing, the way outsiders viewed it, was a constant need. It was a necessity in their daily lives. To run around without clothing was barbaric. Inside the forest though…what was the point in this 'modesty'? It was a lot less natural than walking around in the skin you were born in. That is not to say Forest-dwellers were without clothing, but they used it sparingly. When it was cold and one lacked fur, one wore clothing. When one planned to travel through the forest, one wore travel garb to protect one's more sensitive areas. What other purpose should clothing serve?

Rolling his eyes at the alpha, Heron smiled. _"I will go fetch a pair of leather briefs and slippers for him from the lodge. I hope he will be fine with just those two things. I would rather not deprive the pack from any tunics as the cold season draws closer with every full moon."_ Nevier nodded in understanding as Heron turned to head into the lodge.

The wooden structure was large, made up of two rooms. The first, Heron stepped into as he entered the building, held about thirty or so cots with extra space for more to be added later. A fireplace stood cold in the middle of the room. It would prove essential to the werewolves' survival as snow approached. It also served as a kitchen center for some of the food the wolves cooked. Raw meet was all well in good, but many other foods helped the pack maintain healthy systems. Items such as nuts, berries, certain grasses, roots, and others were gathered and put into another room at the end of the large room, which held pantry supplies and other essentials.

The leather garments Heron was looking for would be in the back storage room. He collected them quickly and returned outside, eager to speak with Moony this morning. There were plans which needed to be made.

Nearing the bushes Moony hid behind, Heron made a small noise to announce his arrival before actually stepping deeper into the foliage where he saw the wolf crouching to cover his private bits. He moved slowly though, as he didn't wish to startle the stranger more than they already had. He seemed so…skittish.

"_I brought you some garments,"_ the brunette said, extending the bundle of leather. He tried to smile warmly, to make the blonde feel more at ease. _"They aren't as big or extravagant as what you must be used to, outside of the forest. Each piece fulfills their need though. Now, we have a pair of leather shorts. These are a type of undergarment we use to protect our genitals from thorns and the like. And here are some slippers, to protect your feet from this type of terrain…"_ The black haired youth trailed off, feeling awkward. The entire time Heron spoke, Moony said nothing and did nothing other than stare at Heron. _"Not that you have to wear the slippers – or the briefs – if you don't want. I just figured with your outsider background, you'd-"_

The young man was cut short as Moony gave a wild squawk and grabbed at the two leather garments held out before him. As soon as they were in his hands, he then proceeded to babble incoherently as he struggled to put the pieces on. His tone, more than his words, told Heron the current emotions of the wolf. There was frustration, anger, curiosity, and – interestingly enough – longing. The wolf babbled a few more phrases once he got the pieces on, his face growing more desperate with every sentence.

Heron could feel his own face contorting into an expression of frustration as well, as he realized what the problem was.

Many moons ago, a few of his mentors urged him to learn English. It was the language of his people, they said. He, however, had not wanted to hear of it. What use had he for English if he never wanted to live amongst people again, after all?

Lord Tepes told him English was useful, even when one didn't live amongst humans. It was good to understand them and how they conducted their business. Sometimes, their decisions affected what was going on within the Forest. How could Heron manage Forest affairs if he couldn't understand all the factors playing into its livelihood?

Firenze spoke of family and heritage when he urged Heron to learn English. Even if the wild boy had no desire to be among humans when he was young, who could say he had no desire to be among them when he had grown? What if he wanted a human mate? How would he be able to converse with them if he had no use for their words?

For several moons, each attempted to teach him English. He learned numbers, letters, colors, several names, and a few keywords and phrases for if he ever decided to venture into human territory. They were going to teach him more, but…learning English fell to the wayside of his other lessons. At the time, he had been happy to be done with such useless teachings. Now though…

Heron sighed. Of course Moony wouldn't be able to understand Avantas, the common tongue of the Forest. It was Fate, punishing him for not completing his English lessons. He was sure of it.

Trying to gather all his memories of those class periods, the youth attempted to reassure the skittish wolf. _"_It…It...okay," he said, making a shushing sound. It worked. Moony's head snapped to attention and he stared raptly at the brunette.

The blonde said a few more things. This time, Heron caught a word or two. "Heron," he reintroduced himself. He pointed at his chest, making sure the wolf understood. The older man repeated the gesture and made a noise which must represent his own name, "Remus". To Heron, the word didn't sound like what the name 'Moony' should be. If he remembered his letters right, the Avantas _'M_' made a 'mmmmm' sound in English. Apparently, he didn't remember his letters as well as he thought.

Moony said a few more cautious phrases before Heron held up a hand to get the other to stop. "I…can…little English," he said, drawing upon a phrase Firenze assured him would be very useful. It was to tell humans he could understand only the barest of English words. He hoped he had said the phrase right.

A few more words were said, none of them understandable to the youth. This was obviously not going to work out. He held up a finger to signal he would be back in one minute and then gestured for Moony to stay. Once he was mostly sure the wolf had understood properly, Heron turned and went back towards the conversing pack.

"_Alpha Nevier," _he called as he approached. "_It seems that this wolf is without his creature tongue. Could I possibly borrow a translator from your pack?"_ Since the pack sometimes took in strays from outside the Forest boundaries, there was likely several wolfs within the pack could still remember English words.

The alpha gave a brief nod before surveying the small crowd, trying to decide who would best be able to help the young man. "_Ylva,"_ he said, pointing at a dainty female. She had only joined the pack several months ago, and still retained much of her knowledge on humans. _"Go with the unicorn prince_."

The lithe girl nodded before walking over towards Heron. _"I am not a native English speaker_," she admitted. _"My first language is Norsk - Norwegian. I do know English though."_

Heron nodded. He didn't need her to be a native speaker. Just as long as Moony could understand him, that was enough. "_I hope you do not mind escorting us for a while. I need to return to my mother's clearing before I take leave. If my uncle is there when we arrive, I will probably ask him to escort us out of the Forest so you may take leave. I know he has had a fair amount of dealings with this school, so it may be better to have him with us when we enter the school's territory anyway."_

Ylva nodded. "_I will do what I can to help you, Heron," _she said. "_What do you want for me to tell him?"_

The youth thought about it for a few minutes before gesturing for her to follow him towards Moony_. "Tell him that, as we spoke about last night, I will be accompanying him back to his school. He needn't worry about how to get back, since I know the location…and I doubt he would be able to find his way back anyway_," Heron snorted lightly in amusement. The lack of instinct outsiders possessed was amazing. "_Also, tell him what I told you- I must stop in unicorn territory before we head out."_

As the instructions were carried out, Heron let his eyes roam over the older wolf's body. He tried to read the man's thoughts through his actions and expressions. There was wariness there. It had not been there before and he seemed partially shocked by Ylva's words. Now, whether he was shocked by the actual words or that a 'wild' werewolf was speaking, Heron didn't know.

Moony said a few things in response. "_He asks…why are you doing this? Going with him, that is. Do you have some…oh, what's the word in Avantas? ….Ah, yes, do you have some ulterior motive?"_ Yvla translated. "I _think he is asking because of the…wizarding dark lord_."

"_Dark lord_?" Heron didn't bother paying much attention to human news. His disinterest in human business was a constant source of vexation to Lord Tepes. Apparently, the vampire had been right in his pressures.

"_Yes. A British wizard. Very evil. He is a killer, with no want for food or resources,"_ she said, Norwegian accent thickening in her remembered fear. "_Most of his efforts were – are – focused in the United Kingdom, but his followers stretch much of the continent. Even in my homeland, his followers sought to do his will." _

Heron wondered at the power of this killer, at this person who could make a grown werewolf cringe just by memory. He was glad no such man had ever tried to invade the Forest. "_Ask him, then, if this is what he fears. Reassure him no such man resides here, or will be welcome to do so. I have no ulterior motive; I simply feel a draw to him. Besides,"_ he said, pausing in thought, "_Firenze has always encouraged me to make contact with the humans living outside of this land. Maybe tell Moony I intend to learn more about my biological background."_

Yvla passed along the message and Moony's shoulders released some of the tension bundled there. The two spoke for a few moments, back and forth before Moony nodded in reluctance. _"He is not completely confident in you, or in whatever your plan may be. But he says…he has been judged too soonly before. He will give you the benefit of the doubt and introduce you to his…I cannot figure out what the word would be in Avantas? The head mentor of the school? His alpha_," the female translated. _"His alpha can be the one you speak to about joining their school." _

"_I wouldn't have it any other way," _Heron said, nodding. If he truly expected to join this school, this…pack, as it were, then it wouldn't do him any good if he didn't have the alpha's permission to be there. _"Then, if he is agreeable to the decision, the three of us should leave now." _Moony hesitantly nodded his head in agreement after Yvla translated. "_Good._"

The brunette motioned for the two to follow him out of the clearing, towards the west. While it would be easier to simply head North and go directly to this human school, Heron felt he would not be able to leave the Forest in good conscious without seeing his mum first. He doubted she would have much to say, as she was a quiet sort, but he still wanted to hear her advice on the situation. He wanted her blessings and to assure her of his wellbeing.

As they exited the werewolf territory, Heron bowed slightly towards Alpha Nevier. He would miss the man while he was gone. Out of his many mentors, the wolf understood Heron perhaps the best. The youth would try hard to find time to visit his pack. Not just to reassure the pups, but for his own comfort. He didn't doubt his ability to make friends amongst the humans, but he would miss the Forest and all those within too.

"_Now, the journey into the forest's heart is roughly a shadow's turn or two from here,"_ the youth said, pushing a few hanging vines out of their path with his hands. It would have been easier to travel if they cleared the way completely, such as what humans did to create trails. However, Heron believed it would be against the Forest's will. There was a significant difference after all in cutting someone's hair and cutting their flesh.

So, the walk was somewhat arduous – at least, for Moony. Heron could hear the older man huffing and puffing in exhaustion as they got closer to unicorn territory. _"It won't be too long now,"_ he reassured. He didn't need the shadows to tell him how far they were, but he could see them turning, lengthening the further the trio walked. Then again, with the speed at which the blonde wolf walked, it was probably not the best idea to measure their travel distance by the time they had been walking.

Then, he could see the path open into a familiar clearing. This one was much larger than that of the werewolves', made up of two smaller clearings joined in the center. One of the clearings was the center for council meetings. It was simply an empty space with a small creek running through it. The other clearing, however, housed a large hollow tree. The center of the tree had long ago died and rotted out in the middle. The outer layers of the trunk thrived still. It was within this mighty tree where the unicorns lived. Looking upon it now, the youth was gripped by a sudden, desperate homesickness.

Heron smiled tightly, dwelling on his memories of this home. It was a grand sight to take in, especially for the first time, and he tried to hold on to the joy and awe it could provide. Moony further compounded the point of how awesome it was by gaping at the two clearings for a solid few moments. _"This is the unicorn territory,"_ the youth announced, gesturing at the clearing with the tree in it.

"_In the other clearing, the council meets to discuss important Forest affairs. My mother leads the agenda, as it were,_" Heron said before he paused thoughtfully_. "I don't know what would be the best word for her would be. Queen is not right, though some would call her that. But the creatures do not select her either. The unicorns have always 'led' – although, again, that is not the right word for it."_ Try as he might, he couldn't think of how to define it to an outsider. "_Mediator?"_

"_Heron!"_ A delicate voice from across the clearing called out. A small unicorn with dappled hindquarters stepped out from inside the tree. She trotted over, a smile in her voice as she asked, "_How was your night with the wolves?" _

"_Fairly well,"_ he said. _"You know Yvla, one of the pack's wolves."_ The female werewolf waved. _"And…this is my new companion, Moony. He is an outsider wolf. Moony, this is my aunt, Lilac."_

Moony's face froze in shock as he stared at Lilac. His amber eyes grew bigger Yvla translated. He said something haltingly, causing the female werewolf to chuckle. _"He didn't think unicorns liked males,"_ she commented as the other wolf bowed slowly at the waist.

"_It would perhaps be better to say we are…wary of human males," _Lilac said before pausing_. "Although, there are things happening in the world outside the Forest right now, which would make me unfortunately question most humans…But, that does not make for good conversation. Please, ask your friend to join us for our brunch."_

As Yvla turned to Moony to do so, Heron stepped closer to his aunt. "_Actually, that is the type of conversation I wish to discuss today," _he said, patting her muzzle in affection. "_This stranger, from beyond the forest boundaries, in that world full of conflict, is full of opportunity. I see it in his eyes. They call for me to take hold of the future he can give me access to, and to hold on tight." _He sighed then, and rested his head alongside her much larger one. "_I feel I should…no, __**need**__ to follow him to that backwards world out there."_

The unicorn whickered softly into her nephew's hair. "_What sadness," _she remarked, "_for such a beautiful day as today. Not only for those who love you and would miss you if you left, but also for yourself. What are your feelings?" _Lilac was perhaps the aunt Heron could most easily speak with about his feelings. It was not due to a lack of caring on the part of the others. Lilac just…understood. She never questioned him out of judgment; rather, she questioned him to make him think introspectively.

"_I feel…excited. I've never really been out of the Forest before; not longer than a few minutes, at least . I have never really had a desire to learn about humans….But, now I have this opportunity, and I am slightly curious about them…and about what this pull towards Moony might be. What are humans like, I wonder? I've heard the stories. How many of them are true?" _he asked before sighing. What he said next was really hard for him to admit.

"_And…I'm afraid. Some of the stories are very horrible if they are true. And I will miss everyone." _Heron made a small whine sound in the back of his throat_. "But as much as I might want to turn away from this opportunity, I don't feel I should. I don't understand it, not when most of my emotions are resistant to the idea of leaving the forest." _

"_You do plan to come back, don't you?" _Lilac asked, bumping her muzzle against Heron's chest. "_No one is making you go. If you dislike it or feel ill at ease, then simply inform the humans you are leaving and come back. Simple." _

The brunette thought about it. His aunt made good points. Enough that he could feel the slight weight of panic lift off of his chest. Of course he would be able to return whenever he wanted, and not simply for breaks. "_All right then, let's go speak with Aunt Daisy and mom, huh?" _he asked rhetorically, already on his way up towards the center of the clearing where the big tree stood.

For nearly sixteen autumns now, the tree had been Heron's home. It saw him grow from infancy through childhood into the young adult he was today. It stood witness to his tears and laughter. It had always been a constant in his life. He would miss it, as he said before, but…he would be back. He silently promised it he would as he walked over the enormous threshold.

The tree itself was quite impressive, able to hold roughly ten fully grown unicorns quite comfortably – more than that uncomfortably. The ground was covered in a thick mat of dried grass, reeds, molted fur, and feathers – all of which had been collected over a great span of time. It offered soft bedding, with the additional comfort given by knowing that the generations of the past had started to lay down the framework for the wellbeing of the herd all those seasons ago.

Currently, the herd was quite small in size. It had been awhile since a stallion had entered the Forest. There had been a few outsiders who had come to join their herd about six autumns ago, but a monster killed them. None knew what it was, and it made other unicorns hesitate to enter the Forest the humans called Forbidden. As it was, the herd currently held only Heron's aunts and his mum. All of them were too stubborn to let go of their ancestral home. The youth hoped more unicorns would venture into the forest again, and soon. Unicorns were familial creatures and the lack of a true herd weighed heavily on his family. His mother often told Heron he had been sent by the Fates themselves to her and her sisters. Without him to raise, they may have given up and left long ago.

"_Heron!" _The brunette turned slowly towards the center of the mat and smiled at his mother and Aunt Daisy. "_Give us a hug, child," _his mother, Iris, said. "_It has been a while since you have been home. Have the wolves been keeping you busy?" _She glanced at Yvla and Moony as they entered through the doorway, smiling. "_Or have you just been busy making new friends?"_

"_A bit of both," _Heron admitted. _"This is my mum, Moony…and that unicorn there is my Aunt Daisy. Mum and Aunt Daisy, Moony…And Yvla, you know. She was the newest addition to the pack, a Norwegian wolf, from the North side of the Forest."_

Iris nodded at her son's companions before she stopped, noticing the look on the brunette's face. _"What's wrong?"_ she asked, looking between Lilac and Heron. "_Something has happened?"_

"_I…have found myself desiring to go abroad. Out of the Forest, I mean. I feel like it is something I am currently being called to do,"_ Heron admitted. "_Something I need to do."_

Iris sighed. She had thought a day would come when Heron felt the need to go off. She hoped it would be for many more years to come before the youth sought to join humanity. Yet, she could not deny him this. "_Do you have a plan?" _she asked reluctantly. "_Will you be back to visit, at least?"_

Heron paused, not understanding for a moment before he caught on to her meaning. _"Oh! No, I have no intention of staying there. I…know I am human, but I have trouble identifying as one. I do not seek to rejoin them and learn of my heritage. I…when I look into the eyes of this wolf, Moony, I see potential. It is the same potential I see for myself when I first encountered Lord Tepes in the forest," _he explained.

When the brunette first met the ancient vampire amongst the Forest trees, he thought he was going to die. His mind had felt numb with fear, and his body became petrified in terror. Yet, when he looked into the man's blood red eyes, they spoke of depth and reason. The light within them contracted and twisted in inspiring ways. The vision was enough to pull the youth out of his panic and squeak out a proposition to Lord Tepes. The man initially laughed at the idea of taking the dirty human under his tutelage, but as time progressed, the two grew closer. Now Tepes was a trusted mentor to Heron, the Forest flourished under the alliance which developed between the vampires and the other species, and the lord had named Heron as his heir should he be slain.

He had also seen a similar swirl of color and depth in the eyes of Firenze, Nevier, and in the veela mistress, "Queenie" Aurora. He was loath to tell his mother explicitly about his lessons with the veela. The two had a mutual understanding not to discuss those lessons on pleasure and luxury, though Heron was sure Iris knew about them.

"_I see then," _Iris said, smiling slightly in relief. "_Well, if you feel such a journey is written into your path by the Fates, than I will respect that. Do you have materials for the trip?" _

Heron walked around his mother and aunt to a small, natural crevice in the tree's interior. "_I have my bag of supplies Firenze gave me," _he said before rolling his eyes. _"He probably saw this written in the stars then. I had wondered_." He fished the bag out of the crack and opened it to inspect the items within.

The bag contained a variety of items. There were things like string, dried meat and fruits, tiny vials of what Tepes had taught him were potions, needles for leather, a few short obsidian daggers for emergencies…He already had his stone knife for everyday utilities. "_These are plenty useful within the Forest, so I hope they will be useful outside of it too…," _Heron said aloud, voicing his concerns. "_I don't want to make a fool of myself. I don't know if I can do this…"_

Daisy approached Heron and nudged him with her horn. _"I am sad over this news. But, if this is the path chosen for you, than I doubt you will do anything less than be amazing. Now, come outside," _she said, nudging him again.

He laughingly raised his arms in surrender and allowed for himself to be directed out past the two wolves, who were now conversing quietly to themselves, and out of the tree's entrance. She pushed him a little off to the right for a while before she slowed. Heron knew where they were and instantly grew somber. His mum and Aunt Lilac followed behind the two, growing silent as they too approached the grave of the woman who gave birth to their beloved Heron.

"_She was extremely strong, and loved you very much," _Iris commented quietly. "_There are magical barriers around the entirety of the human school. I think she was trying to go there originally. I don't know how far she travelled before she popped into existence right in this spot. When she did though, she appeared bloody and torn. I approached her; ready to offer the aid I could through my own magic. But she was already slipping away; the damage done was too extensive. Right before she died, she said something in human. I don't know what the exact words were, but I knew the exact __**feeling**_. _She wanted me to protect you. She had died alone in a forest to get you to some sort of safety. You have that strength inside of you."_

Lilac smiled. "_And the capacity to love like that.."_

"_I know you don't consider her your mother, but her blood does run through your veins," _Daisy added. "_Try to remember that when you lose hope. And above all, remember you have the entire Forest backing you."_

Heron took a deep breath and smiled_. "Thank you_," he said. "_I will remember. And I will be back to visit. I might have her blood in my veins, but I need you to keep my heart pumping."_

Iris huffed, looking down as her large black eyes grew misty. "_Well then, we will see you off as far as we can then, shall we? Yvla may accompany, should she wish to do so, to act as translator. However, when we get to the centaur territory, it might be a good idea for Firenze to become your translator and help lead you into the human's land. He has had many dealings in the last couple years with this school. Perhaps they will be more willing to trust you if he is with you," _she suggested. Heron nodded, having already thought of that.

Yvla apparently translated for Moony as the man posed a question for her to voice. "_He asks…would it not be better for unicorns to accompany us as they only linger around pure individuals?"_

"_It's a valid question. I am not sure it would be a good idea, however. Since the visiting herd members were killed, we are wary of the reactions Humans have to unicorns. They may like us, but I believe they see us as beasts. Firenze can speak directly to them," Iris said, before pausing. "However, if this outsider Moony thinks it may help, we will stand at the edge of the Forest until we get signal that all is well."_

Moony nodded as the words were translated for him. This would apparently be enough for him.

"_Well then, shall we?"_

* * *

Let me know what is your take on the new version of this chapter! The majority of this one is new material, and will hopefully give readers more insight into Heron's life within the Forest.

I thought there wasn't enough background on his mentors or on mother/aunts in the original version. I was also planning on doing it (much) later in the original, but this time I decided to further elaborate on Lily's death sooner. It lets readers understand the sacrifice Lily made and how Heron came to be in the forest. I like Heron in this chapter better too; the original had a much whiner personality without fully going into depth about why he was upset to leave (though it was implied).

Please review!


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own a fair amount of the characters depicted in this story, although I will claim a few as my own. I hope you enjoy my takes on those both canon and original.

**Language Key:**

"English"

_"Avantas" – This is the language all creatures use to communicate with each other_

* * *

"_So, what's the plan?"_ Heron asked, eyes peering out from behind the dense foliage. Their tiny group lingered near edge of the Forest, and he could see the massive school from where they stood. There was a little hut closer to them, partially blocking their view. Firenze said it belonged to the school's groundskeeper, a friend of his. The man didn't seem to be in at the moment, which was probably for the best. The brunette hoped to meet with the school's alpha before he spoke with anyone else. He turned and looked at Firenze in question.

The centaur's stance was contemplative, one hoof raised slightly above the ground as if the man was so involved in his thoughts that he forgot to set it back down. _"I believe the best course of action here may be to simply…knock," _he said, bright blue eyes moving from the stars down towards Heron. Those eyes were a feature in almost all of Heron's early memories, as the blonde man was distantly related to mother.

"_You don't think there is a more direct way, Uncle?"_ he asked, eyes moving from the centaur back towards the castle. The doors seemed too large for words, even at this distance. Heron feared any sound from their knocking would be swallowed by its size.

"_Humans are…jumpy,"_ Firenze said, shrugging. "_They would not trust you if you barged in. Rather, they would be more inclined to kill you. And while I believe your training with Lord Tepes and Nevier would serve you well, there will be many of them inside ready to jump to the offensive." _

The centaur took a step forward and turned his gaze on Moony, or Remus as the humans called him. Yvla had departed shortly after the group met up with Firenze, so now he would be acting as interpreter for the wolf as well. "I believe the three of us-"

His words were abruptly cut off as the massive doors to the castle began to open and three men walked out. The oldest in the group seemed to carry an aura of strength and power, making Heron believe this was the alpha of the school. The three began to survey the area, eyes tracking the edge of the Forest. When their gaze reached the area by the hut, Moony gasped. His eyes locked on to one of the men, a shaggy looking man with black hair, and he darted out of the foliage before Firenze or Heron could stop him.

Moony shouted something at them as he ran. His tone sounded excited and relieved. The man whose eyes he had caught ran to meet him in the middle, sweeping the blonde wolf into a bone-cracking hug when they met. Heron looked on in mild surprise as the two then kissed. "_Ah, his mate,"_ he murmured to his uncle, coughing in mild embarrassment.

The brunette was familiar with kissing, as well as many other sexual acts. The veela he sometimes studied with made sure of that. They were sensual creatures, enamored with both themselves and pleasure. However, the kiss taking place between the two mates now was different. It was simply… more intimate. Heron almost felt like an intruder when he watched them.

Firenze glanced at Heron before nodding at the scene unfolding behind them. "_I never realized you embarrassed so easily, nephew. One day that may be you embracing your mate – or mates," _the centaur said. He ignored the youth's protests in favor of smiling mystically. _"In any case, your wolf is giving us an opening. Watch, he waves for us to join him."_

Doubting they would get a better opportunity to meet with the school's alpha, Heron grunted softly in acknowledgement, mentally preparing himself for what was to come next. He then sighed and stepped out from the Forest's embrace, for truly the first time since he had entered it as a child. He could feel Firenze behind him as he stiffly approached the group of humans.

"_What do you think they will require of me to live here?" _Heron asked as they walked across the vast lawn. "_I know they have rules…which will likely be very different from those of the Forest. Will I also have to wear those odd garments of theirs? And what type of school work do you imagine they assign?" _

Firenze muttered his reassurances that everything would be fine and Heron would find out soon enough. However, his words did nothing to placate the tumultuous emotions running through the youth. He grew more nervous with every step he took, though he did his best not to show any weakness in from of these humans…These other humans. It was hard to associate himself with their species. His experiences were just so different, he wondered if he would ever feel comfortable amongst them.

Inhaling deeply to puff his chest out in display, the brunette stopped several feet short of the alpha before giving a short, calculated bow. He never took his eyes off the older man, not wanting the other to see his bow as a sign of submission. As he stared, he felt an odd tingle run across his brain. The sensation moved around a bit, poking at a few different spots of his mind before it settled. The alpha looked…confused by something before he dropped his gaze from Heron to look over at the centaur.

"Firenze…it…you…I…who is this? I am…the Forest, a…"

Heron strained, trying to pick up every word he could from the conversation. There were many he didn't know, or couldn't catch due to the speed with which the alpha spoke. He could understand the jist of what was being said, however. It would be stupid for the alpha to take Moony at his word, after all, even if the wolf carried the best of intentions. He had the school, and his pack to look out for.

Speaking of pack, the green eyed youth glanced cautiously at the Alpha again. From closer up, he could now see the wrinkles running up and down the slightly taller man's face. He seemed…weary. There was a quiet, yet tightly wound strength and caution within his stance. With the right provocation, Heron was sure that strength could easily be sprung. It was a nearly tangible power he hoped would never be unleashed on him.

As for the Alpha's company…There was very obviously Moony's mate, but also a man who appeared to be Beta to this pack. The man was fairly tall, nearly matching Heron in height. His power was not quiet and subtle like the Alpha's, but large and overpowering. His deep, black eyes constantly moved as he surveyed the land, Firenze, Heron, his own pack, and more before recirculating; however, it was not a paranoid twitch, but almost like an innate quality born from his duty to himself and to his pack. Heron respected him for it, but he also understood this man's duty would prove a formidable motivation should the two ever butt heads.

"…is Heron. He has…the Forest…for you to…it in his…I am…you...him on as a…"

Heron tried to focus back on the conversation taking place…Well, what little he could understand. The Alpha's eyes shifted from between Firenze and Heron a few times before settling on Heron. The Beta made a comment, his voice too quick and low for the youth to make out. The tone sounded harsh and unforgiving. His black eyes burned as they settled completely, staring at the wild brunette in suspicion.

Next to them however, Moony's mate laughed, teeth flashing in the sunlight. He said something back, equally fast and biting, to the Beta who swung his head around to look at the other man with a scowl. The mate's grin became cold the longer the two stared at each other, and for a moment, it looked as if the two were going to brawl.

Then, the Alpha said something else. "You two are...I…the…if they…you…it?" His tone was light, but his body language was dangerous and warning. Immediately, the two stepped down, dropping their heads in submission. The Alpha sighed before turning his gaze back on Firenze, though he kept shooting glances at Heron as the two spoke.

Finally, the elderly man nodded slowly before waving his hand at the massive doors to the school. They reminded Heron a bit of where Lord Tepes lived, a castle nestled deep in the outskirts of the Forest. It was not as massive as this building, but it was still very impressive. Apparently the vampire had received it when he still lived, given to him by a generous and grateful king for his service to the crown.

It seemed they would get to go inside. Slightly, Heron turned and raised his hand to the forest, signaling to his mother and his aunts that he was fine. The three unicorns remained on the edge of the forest, deeper in than Heron, Firenze, and Moony had been. Though they wanted support the brunette, they collectively couldn't bring themselves to come closer to human territory.

In response to his wave, he saw a flash of golden light and understood the message of well-wishing. It warmed his heart. As he turned back around to face the castle, he caught the shocked expression on the Alpha's face before a cool and collected mask slid into place. Perhaps Moony's idea of having his family present hadn't been a bad one. If it could tip the odds in his favor…He was willing to work with it.

Firenze chuckled from having seen the interaction before putting his hand to his nephew's back. "_Come. Head Mentor Dumbledore has invited us inside Hogwarts to further discuss the future. He does not trust you. He wonders if you may be a spy speaking in a coded language, or using an animal communication spell. You must gain his trust if you truly wish to reside within the castle and have free interaction with the mentors and students," _he said, blonde tail flicking from side to side in agitation for a moment. "_Humans are suspicious creatures…Though so are many centaurs. I don't imagine this war can be won without more trust…"_

"_What was that about a war?" _Heron murmured, frowning. He placed a hand against the palomino shoulder of his uncle. "_Is that why the humans are suspicious of me?" _

The centaur nodded reluctantly. "_That is so. I would let them speak with you of it though. I would not cloud your mind with my knowledge of the situation, as it is likely my information is fractured." _The two followed the others up the stairs and into the massive building. Firenze's hoofs echoed throughout the vast cavern they found themselves in. It was even bigger on the inside than the outside, Heron realized as he gazed up at the vaulted ceiling.

"This way." The youth glanced back down to see the alpha - what had Firenze called him? Head Mentor Dumbledore? – to see Dumbledore point to another large door, though this was not nearly as big as those in the entrance hall. These doors, Heron discovered as he stepped through them, led to another large room with afternoon sky as its ceiling. Long tables covered the length of the area and pictures hung from above each. There were snakes and badgers and ravens and a weird creature the brunette was unfamiliar with…All of them were also different colors. How weird.

Firenze cleared his throat and motioned Heron to step through an even smaller set of doors to the left. This room was small in comparison to the two others he had seen, perhaps to match the size of its door. There were chairs in the room, one for each person. He recognized them and their purpose from the few times he had been within Lord Tepes' castle. Gingerly, Heron walked over to one and sat down. It was…soft and squishy. Slowly, he began to relax as the other filtered in.

Soon, the room filled and Dumbledore lit a fire with a stick in something Firenze called a fireplace. It made the room warm and cozy…It was a wonderful, calming sensation to be snuggled up into a plush chair with a fire crackling nearby. Heron didn't feel as nervous about his place here anymore, though he knew to stay on his toes. Despite the old man's age, the brunette could see a cunning glint in those baby blue eyes.

"…you are…to…with us? I…not…" Headmaster Dumbledore spoke, looking directly into Heron's eyes. He felt the odd tingle run across his mind again. There was a poking sensation, a slight pull, and then the feeling retreated again as the alpha turned to look at Firenze.

Turning back to his charge, the blonde centaur said, "_He wants some sort of proof you are as I say you are – a wild wizarding child who's lived his entire life in the Forest, with no connection to any 'dark' organization. I only told him the basics, as I feel the full story should be told by you. I am not sure what would be considered satisfactory proof for them, however."_

"_Wizarding?" _Heron asked, eyes wide. "_What does that mean?"_

"_Ah, it is an adjective for what humans call those with proficiency in magic. A male is a wizard. A female is a witch. You are a wizard, Harry," _Firenze said, smiling. "_Although, I am sure they have never seen the likes of a wizard just like you…" _Before the green eyed youth could question the centaur further, the man continued. "_Anyway, would you submit yourself to some testing if they ask of it?"_

With some hesitance – tests? – Heron nodded. With his agreement, Firenze turned back to the humans. His tone was all business, and it surprised the youth. It seemed very out-of-place on his uncle, or rather, on any centaur. It went to show how serious the situation was.

The brunette wondered at the negotiations being carried out between his uncle and the wizards. Wizards. Wizard. Such a strange word. Heron rolled it around in his mouth a few times, trying to get the gist of it. Up until a few minutes ago, he hadn't realized there were groups of people incapable of performing magic. He had done it for so long…and everyone he met in the Forest had their own special kind of magic. Even the Forest itself was magical.

Heron zoned out, contemplating the idea of magic. It was a hefty concept to try to wrap his head around when he thought of it as something other than in innate quality possessed by everyone. No wonder he heard the rules outside of the Forest were so much stricter. They had to be. Magic could easily grant individuals possessing it a huge advantage in the game of survival. It was, at its core, power – something not everyone could handle.

His thoughts dwelled on the idea of power and 'unfair' advantages. Was there any such thing as an unfair advantage? If one species was able to adapt to cold weather while the other species froze, was that an unfair advantage or just another turn of the wheel? The fittest survived. Part of him was willing to say humans should just let go of their rules and let nature take place. However, another part of him – perhaps the larger part – thought the humans had the right idea. There were acceptable channels through which one could let 'nature' take its course.

In the Forest, they created schedules. Wolves hunted three times a month: the first quarter, the full moon, and the third quarter. The quarters were day hunts, while the hunt on the full moon took place at night. Everyone knew that. If a relative was caught and killed then, then they died. They were mourned, and life carried on. There was no demand for justice, no thirst for vengeance. The consequences were known. Every tribe, clan, pack, family, herd had a schedule. It reduced conflict fivefold. He would hopefully learn more about human policies while here.

As he begun to focus on his surroundings again, Heron started slightly as he finally took notice of the pair of bright blue eyes staring at him. Moony's mate raised an eyebrow slowly, showing he knew the brunette had not been paying attention to what was taking place. The man glanced at the others: Dumbledore and Firenze were still deep in conversation – the Beta sneered at Firenze – Moony glanced at his mate before rolling his eyes. Then he turned back to Heron, slowly raising his other eyebrow.

The youth wasn't fully sure what the man was trying to say. His body language was unclear, though a lot of it was speaking to him. It seemed to say, "_Not paying any attention? Well, I guess I wouldn't either if I couldn't understand any of it." _The mate leaned forward and murmured something. Perhaps he had seen a spark of understanding in Heron, but now there was nothing.

Moony's mate pulled back and frowned. He tilted his head to one side and then the other. He leaned close again, staring deeply into Heron's eyes. His closeness was a tad uncomfortable, but Heron could understand. The man seemed to be wondering, "_What? How can you not understand? This is English, simple English. You seemed to understand a second ago. Mental problems, perhaps?" _ There was so much subtext. Perhaps that is why Heron understood. The man's body language was expressive. He could pick up thoughts, feelings…

The man pushed a long black hair from his face. "…I…?" He twisted his upper body so he was looking at Dumbledore. "…you…if I…?" The Alpha thought over the apparent question over for a moment before he nodded cautiously. Moony's mate grinned, glancing at Heron in excitement.

Then something weird begun to happened…The man's face blurred, shifting, as it extended. His body shortened and his bones repositioned themselves…His skin was literally crawling as the muscles moved, lengthened, shrank underneath it before black fur began sprouting everywhere. Then…Then, he was a dog. It was a similar process to the change werewolves made. Yet, it was more peaceful. It didn't horrify Heron. As much as he loved the pack of wolves he called family, even he had to admit the werewolf change was disturbing in many ways. This seemed more…natural, if such a change could be considered such.

Heron looked helplessly at Firenze for a moment, confused beyond belief. What was going on? The full moon was over…

"_Can you really understand me like this, or is Firenze putting us on?" _The dog asked in a laugh. It was obvious he didn't think the brunette could really understand. "_I mean, he had me for a while, but it all just seems too farfetched." _

"_You really should be more open to new things. The world is full of surprises," _Heron remarked, grinning as the dog yelped loudly. Everyone's eyes swung to the two. "_My name is Heron, and I really can understand you." _

"_By Merlin, you CAN. That means you really are a wild boy from the Forest…Oh sheesh." _The dog got up and paced in a small circle. "_I think I am going to hyperventilate. Am I already hyperventilating? I can't tell…Shit, you can understand me. Shit, shit, shit…" _

The brunette rolled his eyes and slowly raised his hands to signal no harm before he reached out to put a hand on the man…dog's back. "_It's really not that crazy, once you get used to it, um…" _He trailed off, obviously waiting for a name.

"_Sirius," _the large grim-like dog settled down a bit, his pace slowing. "_How is this not crazy? Am I crazy?"_

Firenze broke into their conversation then. "_You aren't. Not anymore than you were before. You just couldn't understand Heron before because you were completely human," _he explained. "_Heron only speaks Avantas. Although, he would be able to speak English if he stuck to his lessons…" _The centaur trailed off, pointedly staring at the young brunette.

"_Yeah, yeah. I get it. Next time I will listen to my wise and almighty mentor," _the youth grumbled. He paused thoughtfully before he continued, "…_Although, I did understand him somewhat when he was human, and I think he understood me too. Maybe through body language"._ He turned back to Sirius. "_Would that be accurate? Also, my biological mother died in the Forest when I was a baby. The Forest has been my home ever since. What other language-" _Firenze coughed. "-_would I understand except for that of the creatures?" _

"_I guess…Well…" _Sirius quit pacing and plopped down on the ground, huffing loudly as he did so. "_Fine. It makes enough sense, I guess. I did understand your body language better than I do most people's and that would explain your being raised there…Sort of..." _The dog paused thoughtfully, glancing at his Alpha and mate in question. He seemed determined to ignore the Beta however. _"Would you be willing to indulge me – us – and tell us your story?" _

Heron glanced at Firenze, feeling troubled. What if he said something wrong? Would there be anything in his past these wizards would not accept? "_I…" _He chanced a glance at the human Alpha. Dumbledore's eyes were intent, smile strained, wrinkles pronounced. It suddenly became apparent to the brunette how much of a pressure his presence put on the man. The mentor wanted to believe him, wanted to believe in crazy happenstance, in a boy's innocence, in something good and wholesome. Yet, the man had also his pack to protect. In most wolf packs, strangers were never accepted. They were killed. In dragon herds, outsiders lived on the fringe of the community, unwelcome for fear of the herd's safety. Veela clans were very protective of existing members, putting those who wished to near them through arduous tasks to prove themselves.

He understood this all with such clarity in that moment that he couldn't help talking. _"I don't know when or where I was born. It is not important to me. All I know is that my birth mother was in trouble. She ran away with me one night. She…'popped' into place near where the unicorn herd lives, near the center of the Forest. She was injured and died. The unicorns raised me. My mother is Iris…Some would call her queen of the Forest, but it would be better to call her…mediator." _

The brunette paused and listened for a moment as Firenze began to translate under the commands of the grumpy beta. He took a deep breath and continued. "_I never really left until today. I have been inside a castle a few times before, but it's a castle in the Forest, so…I don't feel it counts as having 'left' the Forest."_

Sirius spoke as Heron took another breath. "_Well, why did you come now? Are you just interested in your own culture after all these years? It must have been difficult living as a human, a wizard, amongst all these other creatures. No offense meant to them," _he paused to nod at Firenze, "_but it's like being a fish among birds."_

"_Well…Maybe I am just a flying fish," _the youth said slowly. Sirius' analogy was a good one. What the man didn't realize, however, was that fish Heron felt more at home with the birds than he did with other fishes. Hopefully, he could find a peaceful balance between the two before too long. "_As to why I came here, I felt an…attachment to Moony. Not in a sexual manner!" _He rushed to reassure the dog before his hackles could rise. "_But he reminds me of a mentor of mine. I…actually, I see a similar glint in your eyes." _

It was true. As he stared into Sirius' icy blue eyes, he could see them shift and swirl with meaning. The two mates would be important in his journey to become something more, to become something fate demanded of him. He just needed to figure out the path which lay before him.

Sirius smiled slightly and looking down in what Heron assumed to be a rare display of bashfulness. The man's personality was boisterous, but it seemed as if the brunette's statement embarrassed him. "_Ah, well…Ahem, yes…Who were your mentors anyway?" _The dog tried to steer the conversation away from himself with little tact.

Heron let him, smiling at the discomfort shown. _"Obviously, my mother and aunts taught me much. Firenze was one. I consider him my uncle…He taught me a wide range of subjects. I would wager you even teach a few of the lessons he gave me here at the school. Then the Alpha werewolf…And a vampire lord…The veela queen. Now, she truly is a queen, as they operate on a different social structure than we do. I learned some from an elder dragon, but he wasn't really a consistent mentor like the others…" _The youth paused in though, running a hand through his wild shaggy black locks. He could feel everyone's eyes following his movement. Slowly, he removed his hand from his hair and shrugged. "_I never really spent much time learning from the elves or anyone else. Though, the mermaids did teach me how to swim and the goblins helped me learn about stone."_

Sirius' jaw dropped. _"You…You really are something, aren't you? I…that's…" _The dog shook his head, eyes bulging slightly as he looked at Dumbledore. "_I…you…Do you really have connections with all of these groups? They are truly all in the Forbidden Forest? How…is that even possible?" _His pitch increased in his agitation, causing his voice to slip into a high pitched whine. The Beta made a move to swat at the dog, eyes clenching at the noise, but Moony gently intercepted the Beta and grabbed at his mate's muzzle with a much kinder hand.

The man…dog began to calm as his mate made a shushing noise. Finally, when he stopped whimpering, Moony let go. Once he had, Sirius lunged towards Heron in excitement. "_You could help us win the war! You could rally the troops! Maybe that's why you were drawn here! To be our ambassador!" _He let loose a small whine before clamping his mouth down on the noise. In a whisper, he added, "_We might finally be able to kill the snake-faced bastard." _

Firenze made a small cough sound, drawing attention to himself. "_It would take much to involve them…There is a reason the Forest creatures have not revealed themselves. They do not wish to engage in a war that is not theirs…" _His eyes turned upwards as if he could see the sky through the ceiling. "_The human world, as it stands, is no place for many of them. And, it is not necessarily 'dark forces' keeping them in hiding." _He meaningfully dropped his gaze to the wizards in the room.

"_Oh…so…" _Sirius positively drooped at the palomino centaur's words. "_Is there nothing we could do…? He will come after the Forest eventually."_

"_I doubt that. And even if he did, the Forest is well protected…" _The centaur looked at Heron and smiled wistfully. "_There was once a time we all lived together peacefully. There…may be a map in your archives, from such a time. Humans knew the lay of the land, the magic of the Forest, the kindness of the creatures…"_

Heron smiled back slightly at his uncle. "_Maybe one day in the future," _he said, imagining a world quite different from their own. "…_It would be nice. But now…Now, could you tell me about this war?" _He turned back to Sirius and raised his eyebrow in askance.

The dog stumbled over his words a bit before he finally collected his thoughts. "_Th-the w-war? Y-you don't know? Right, right – you're a wild child from somewhere beyond the trees and all that. Um…Well…It's a war. There's much to say about war, but I personally don't think anyone – certainly not me - can ever explain it very well. It's…To try and explain it, to put into words what has been going on, would be dumbing it down and turning raw experiences and true emotion into…statistics. Facts. I don't…"_

The man heaved a big sigh. In that one breath, he seemed to live a hundred lifetimes before he let them go again. "_I will try," _Sirius said, nodding his shaggy head quite gravely.

Though the humans sitting in the room couldn't speak Avantas and had to use Firenze as a translator, they too tensed and their bodies became like stone in anticipation for the story the dog was about to tell.

"_There once was a man, because at the time, he was still a man…There once was a man who became obsessed with the idea of heritage, immortality, and power. He did things…Horrible things to himself and to a few others in an effort to become eternal. His soul split and he became less than man, less than beast. A monster."_

"_He started gathering followers early on, but only truly rose to power in the 1970's. He destroyed. He maimed and killed when and who and where he wanted. His followers did as they pleased…He…He…In 1981, he disappeared after…" _The dog had to look away, but Heron still caught a glimpse of a small tear making its way down Sirius' muzzle. "_He killed my best friend, his wife, their baby…He killed my family…And then…just disappeared. He was gone for 12 years." _Sirius breathed in and out deeply, trying to move on with his thoughts so the rest of the story could be told.

"_He tried to return a year before that, inside of Hogwarts, using a teacher's body much like a parasite. He came close to finding a way to create a new body for himself, but he fell into a trap. He managed to escape after killing his host's body. But the year after…A little girl here at the castle poured her heart and soul into a diary – a book, that is. Normally, such is just an expression, but she truly did pour her soul into the book. It stole her life energy, killed her, and it brought back a younger incarnation of the monster."_

"_He left Hogwarts, the school, before he could be caught. There was a basilisk crawling through the halls that year, which was enough to distract everyone. The beast killed two students and petrified several others before it was finally killed…The school wasn't as safe anymore. We strengthened the wards, tightened security…Student admissions are still down. Parents are sending their children to the continent instead."_

"_But…I don't blame them. That monster will come here one day to kill us all. When he thinks Headmaster Dumbledore is gone. He fears Dumbledore. But…Despite his fear, he will not stop before he causes its destruction. All we can do now is…train and try to pretend everything is okay. Hope we will be ready when the Death Eaters inevitably come." _

Heron listened solemnly, though inside he could not hide his shock. How could all this have happened just outside the edge of the Forest? How could humans do this to each other? Because, despite his monstrous acts, the madman doing this was, in fact, a man. He was human. A fractured human, but one nonetheless.

"_What was…his name? The monster?" _Heron asked.

Sirius squirmed for a moment. "_Many call him You-Know-Who, He Who Must Not Be Named…Others, his followers, call him the Dark Lord. His name though is…Voldemort."_

The brunette nodded, deciding that would be the name he would call this monster. "_Voldemort." _He rolled the name around on his tongue. He would not give this man his fear. He would not cower from a name. He nodded. That would do.

"_Do you have any other questions for me that may pertain to my acceptance into this school?" _He asked, scratching his head slightly.

"_Um…," _Sirius trailed off, looking at Firenze for assistance. The centaur conveyed Heron's question to the three humans, who discussed it for a few minutes before passing it on. "_Firenze already answered questions on the type of schooling you received in the Forest and the type you would be expected to learn of while here, which we will get someone to go over with you. He also asked Dumbledore about your visiting rights back home. The headmaster asks for you not to go back for the first month or so, as he would like to keep you here for some preliminary observation. Other than that, there is nothing we can think of," _he said_. "I am going to turn back into a man now so I can put my memories of this into a Pensieve. But, I will be available to you once Firenze leaves and you need an interpreter." _

The big black dog backed up before he slowly stretched and contorted and rearranged himself back into a human. Heron watched the transformation more carefully this time. It was…exciting to see, but now that Sirius was a human again, he felt saddened by the loss of someone who could speak Advantas with him. This new environment left him feeling vulnerable more often than not.

"_Firenze?" _

The blonde centaur was busy shaking Dumbledore's hand as a way to seal the deal. Upon Heron's call, the ma turned towards his nephew and smiled. "Congratulations. _You have just been accepted into Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Heron."_

* * *

__Changes from the original script this time combined chapters 2 and 3 content and really focused on realistic interactions between Heron and Dumbledore/Sirius. Last time, the interactions were abrupt and...too accepting. "Wild child shows up at our door during a war? Well come on in!".

I also wanted Heron's questions to be asked and answered in a more calm manner than Sirius acting like a 3 year old on a sugar high. He's an adult, he has suffered, he wants his life from before back...But he CAN still do the fun stuff and act young ad excitable...Just not in the same way as before. I think this shows his ability to be carefree, but also his (and the world's!) background involving Voldemort - therefore, it also shows his seriousness and ability be a liaison.

Aaaaanyway, review please! I love hearing people's thoughts and opinions on my work. It's why I decided to continue writing and reediting my old work for you.


	4. Chapter 3

In Loving Memory of My Father

J.A. White

1951-2012

Without his influence, this story (and many others) would never have come to be.

Disclaimer: I do not own a fair amount of the characters depicted in this story, although I will claim a few as my own. I hope you enjoy my takes on those both canon and original.

* * *

Language Key:

"English"

_"Avantas" – This is the language all creatures use to communicate with each other_

* * *

Heron was quickly finding out that Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was no ordinary castle. Not that he had been to many castles before. His only experience with the buildings came from visiting Lord Tepes' castle in the forest, which apparently was rather plain in comparison. This castle, on the other hand, was not only enormous in structure but was home to a vast variety of magical beings and items. The doors would sometimes open of their own accord, candles floated to give off light, and staircases would move between levels.

After the group finished discussing the basics of Heron's enrollment in the small cozy room, the human Alpha Dumbledore stood and motioned for everyone to follow him. Heron assumed that at this point he would begin his testing. He wondered what would be required of him. Maybe he would have to fight one of them to be considered part of the pack…Slowly, he begin to eye the beta, looking for weaknesses.

The man, despite his gangly body structure, actually seemed to possess a decent amount of muscle. The way he held himself also seemed to indicate a strong ego, possibly the result of knowing he had a hidden weapon? Heron paused for a moment on the stairs they were walking across, and let a small slip of his magic loose. It brushed against the black haired beta, reading his magic levels. It was supposed to be discrete.

Apparently, the beta was stronger and more tuned in that Heron expected. The group, that had continued walking for a few paces while Heron paused, suddenly stopped as the beta whipped around. His eyes narrowed in shards of obsidian as he stared at Heron. His words, though the wild boy couldn't understand, were venomous.

The wisp of magic returned and the brunette shivered. His magic levels were high…and it was very cold tasting. He tilted his head back, looking at the man down his nose. A part of Heron said he could take the beta on.

"_Heron, what in the world are you doing? You were just accepted here! Are you trying to get kicked out already?" _Firenze asked in exasperation, his voice suddenly breaking through to the teen.

Heron tilted his head in confusion and looked at his uncle with wide green eyes. "_What? I was just reading his magic. I mean, aren't I supposed to meet a challenge soon? A test?" _He thought he was being quite reasonable by trying to check out his opponents ahead of time. It was best to take any advantage you could, and not overlook any benefit in the name of 'fair play'. After all, he was making himself available to be 'read' by any of the wizards.

The centaur covered his face with a hand and chortled slightly in exasperation. To Heron, it was obvious he had said something wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was as Firenze was already clearing up the issue with the other men. He didn't want to interrupt as things relaxed again and the group continued onward. The beta shot one last angry look at Heron before gliding further up the stairs.

The teen tilted his head in confusion before he let it go. He decided to focus instead on the area he was in. If Firenze was laughing at the idea of doing battle, maybe his test would be a puzzle. Lord Tepes had told him about labyrinths once. They were gigantic mazes with tall walls and a lot of dead ends. Maybe Hogwarts was a maze he had to find his way out of. Good thing he had a good internal compass. Still, it would be a good idea to make a mental map of the place…just in case.

The alpha seemed to be leading them in a random pattern. Up one set of stairs, turn a corner, down another staircase, left hallway, right hallway, right hallway…Heron was beginning to become surer of his assumption. Such a place could not exist for any other reason but a maze, could it? There seemed to be no order to the way things were constructed here. Yet, after their trek through the halls, Dumbledore stopped at a specific statue – one they hadn't passed yet. At least that meant he wasn't being led in circles.

Alpha Dumbledore spoke some words to the statue and it moved open with a slight groan, activating a magic that soon revealed an impressive doorway edged in gold. As they moved through the frame, Heron brushed his hand against it to feel the type of magic used to hide it. The spell type itself, he found, was nothing impressive. Merely illusionary magic with some wards built into place, but he also was able to get some sense of just how old the magic was. Just how long had Hogwarts stood exactly…? Heron shook his head and stepped into the room the rest of the way. He would hopefully be able to ask Sirius later. He didn't want to chance it now as the beta was already eyeing him suspiciously.

The room the group entered was nothing at all like the youth would have imagined for his first test. The most noticeable thing, in Heron's mind, was the large hole rimmed in gold located in the center of the room. Weird tubes of different colors lined the hole – some had gems in them, while others seemed to have some picture engraved into it. Looking up, Heron noticed the ceiling was made of wood, which seemed unusual as the floor and walls were made of some white stone. He tried to think back on his lessons with the goblins. He wanted to say the name was…marble?

Heron glanced at the adults, who were all deep in conversation, before he moved to further explore the room. There was a mosaic mural on the wall to the left of the door, near a series of hooks. It depicted a siren sitting in the edge of the rocks, looking forlornly at a ship sailing far into the distance. As the green eyed boy approached, the small tiles making up the siren's portrait began to shift and oddly faced him. While he encountered magic paintings before, this was his first time encountering a mosaic piece. Fascinated, he moved his face closer.

The siren seemed to blush as he concentrated on her before she opened her mouth, revealing small tile chips representing razor teeth. Below the mural, the stone slid open to reveal a set of reeds in wood, crystal, silver, and gold. As the mural "sang" to him, no music emerged from the stone itself but from the reeds rose a beautiful melody. He closed his eyes and started to relax his defenses as he listened to the lullaby.

A hand brushed his shoulder, breaking his peace. Heron's eyes snapped open as he turned, lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing his sharp canines. Though he could not see his own eyes, he could feel the heat that must be pouring from them as Moony took a hasty step back from the wild child. How dare the werewolf touch him so suddenly, so casually? What made it worse was that if Heron had been paying attention, Moony would never have been allowed to get so close without him knowing.

It was difficult to set his face back into a calm mask, but from Firenze's warning expression, he knew he had to.

"_I do not wish to be touched unless it is on my own terms," _Heron finally said when he could manage calm. "_I should never be approached so casually without my consent. Don't sneak up on me."_

"First, he still cannot understand you, Heron,"

the centaur interjected with a roll of his eyes. "_Second, humans are very touchy creatures. You will have to get used to that. However…I do understand and will make it known to them to try not to surprise you – at least until you get used to them and their odd habits."_

The teen sniffed primly and looked down his nose at Moony before looking away. "_You would swear he wasn't a werewolf from the way he acted. He has to know he is my inferior…Or is it because I am not part of this pack and I am indeed the inferior?" _Heron frowned, shocked by his own thoughts. "_I'm not, am I?" _

This time, Firenze snorted in laughter. "_As if I would understand pack hierarchy better then you. And you must remember, while humans think in terms of 'who has more authority', you cannot think of the lower humans in the hierarchy as being inferior. They tend to frown on that. You would be a student here, which means your mentors – like Moony – would have authority over you" The centaur paused in thought. "Now…should you ever accompany him out when in his wolf form, then you would probably be above him…But, you know as well as I, the way a lone wolf thinks is harder to predict." _

Heron groaned. The whole of human interactions seemed to be growing more facets and rules. Plus, if he understood correctly, he was now at the bottom of the authority levels. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. On one hand, he had never used his status in a crude or childish fashion (well, maybe when he was significantly younger). Yet, it was part of what he had come to know as his identity. He was used to a certain level of respect, for a number of reasons.

"_Apologize to him then," _Heron said, flapping a hand at Moony as he covered his eyes with the other hand. "_I meant no offense. If I was a lesser creature…One…could maybe….possibly…call me skittish at the moment. Not that I am! Just…It could be called that…and I might be…a little jumpy in anticipation of these tests. Maybe."_

Firenze laughed and trotted over to rest a hand on Heron's head as he relayed the words. His words only helped marginally, if the group's expressions were anything to go by. Even Sirius was eyeing Heron carefully, knowing his mate had been put into possible danger by this boy. However, a little help was better than nothing.

The centaur tousled the youth's hair as he stared moodily at the adults in the room. "_I do promise you will get use to this all. And you are overthinking these tests. Human tests are really nothing like our own, so you can drop your battle senses now. And anyway, the first one – if you want to think of it like that – is to take a bath."_

Heron tried to set his hair to right, while looking at his uncle from under his fringe. "_…A what?" _The teen was sure he heard incorrectly.

"_By human standards, you are filthy beyond belief," _the centaur grinned in amusement, teeth shining in the brightly lit room. "_When was the last time you bathed?" _

The youth sniffed, feeling affronted. He was a very hygienic person, if he did say so himself. "_I went down to the river for a bath within the last week, I will have you know." _The werewolves tended to bathe less than that, probably once every two or three weeks, except for newcomers. The animals or larger creatures, like dragons, bathed even less than that. Some of them only used saliva or dust to groom too. At least he used water.

Firenze shook his head with a slight smirk. "_Many humans bathe at least once a day, Heron. Some even do it twice." _The blonde took a moment to smirk, obviously enjoying his nephew's expression of absolute shock.

"_Every day?!" _His mouth dropped open slightly. "_Whatever for? What could they possibly do to get so dirty in such a clean castle as this? Where do they go to get clean? I have never seen them down by the river, and that lake we passed on the way up here would too stagnant to help." _He was beyond dumbfounded at this sudden turn of events. His first test was to take a bath?

Heron glanced over at Moony as the man said something, perhaps in answer to whatever Firenze just translated. It had to be about the bath. The werewolf was gesturing cautiously to the side of the hole rimmed in gold. It seemed, despite Heron's outburst, he wanted to show the youth something in the hole.

Trying his best not to spook the werewolf, Heron slid slowly over to the edge and looked in. The hole was empty. It did nothing to answer why the humans demanded he – or any of them – take so many baths. Then, Moony touched one of the little tubes against the side - a gold one with an amethyst cut into its top. Water burst forth from the sides of the hole, bubbling as madly as rapids. The smell of lavender filled the air, causing Heron to sneeze.

It dawned on the youth that this hole was a pool of some sort. This was where he was supposed to bathe? But surely he would get swept away by the strong currents now running through the water as it churned from the miniature waterfalls along the sides. His panic must have shown on his face as Moony made a small gesture with his hand, indicating a desire to comfort the boy. Heron eyed the hand thoughtfully, before glancing at the man's face. There wasn't ridicule in his expression, nor did he seem to hold a sense of duty to protect the weaker members of the pack. His eyes simply spoke of a desire to comfort, much in the way of a sitter would. He decided to take Moony at face value, and touched the man's hand lightly with the tips of his fingers. The werewolf smiled back warmly and grasped Heron's hand.

As he did so, the water started slowing before shutting off. It was astounding to the youth how quickly the water filled the massive hole. And where did the water come from anyway? Where would it go after he was done? It wouldn't pull him away with it, would it? He reached over the ledge and dipped the fingers from his free hand in the water. It was…hot? He hadn't realized Hogwarts was located on a hot spring. The only place Heron knew there to be hot springs where there was volcanic activity, like in the eastern parts of the Forest, but here?

"_And now we encounter a problem, it seems," _Firenze interrupted Heron's thoughts with an amused chuckle. "_The humans do not trust you to take a bath by yourself, for fear that you will run off and cause some sort of destruction within Hogwarts. They do not yet know your abilities or how powerful you are. They also do not trust me to stay here with you as I am the one who brought you here to begin with." _So far, none of this seemed like a problem to Heron. They could all just stay and chat while he swam and splashed around in the water, under the pretense of 'getting clean'. Honestly, every day? He cocked and eyebrow at the centaur, urging him to get to the point.

"_Yes, well, human modesty and social protocol dictates that they leave the room. Not only for the sake of your privacy, but also because they are teachers and you are a student. It would be improper." _The whole idea was laughable to Heron. Really? This was the problem now that they had him doing what they wanted?

Heron shook his head at Firenze and groaned, letting go of Moony's hands as he stood from the crouched position. "_Humans are weird and I don't understand them," _he said, as he began to strip out of his breeches. All the adults in the room (save Firenze) made a startled noise and acted as if they were going to rush at him…or away from him, whichever would be more convenient in helping them escape what they deemed an awkward position.

Moony seemed especially upset, as he was crouching right next to the boy. His blush was very pronounced as he stumbled through saying something. His awkwardness was sort of endearing and Heron couldn't help but laugh as he tossed the breeches somewhere in a corner. "_Very weird, indeed. Are all humans like this?" _

"_Not all. It's a bad idea to generalize an entire species, don't you think?" _

"_True," _Heron nodded with a smile. His eyes slide close and he stood still for a moment, glad to feel a gentle breeze running across his thighs again. Leather breeches could be practical as a form of protection, but they were hot and stifling to someone who was often nude. He could hear the adults arguing and the embarrassment was nearly tangible in the air, pressing against his naked skin.

To spare any more awkwardness, the youth finally opened his eyes as he arched his back slightly before diving into the water. Almost immediately he resurfaced, coughing and spluttering. This seemed to set off another round of alarm for the adults. "_Firenze…" _Splutter. "_The water…something in it…burning. Tastes bad." _He swam over to the edge of the pool, heaving huge breaths. There was the taste of something metallic in his mouth with something not-quite floral.

"_That would be the soap, I believe, Heron," _Firenze walked over to the edge of the pool and knelt on his front legs to bend a hand in to take a sip. He grimaced at the taste and tried to discretely spit it out. "_Ah, yes, soap. Humans use it to clean themselves. They will expect you to use it too. If you keep your mouth and eyes closed, it shouldn't be any problem." _The centaur rose again and turned his back on the boy to speak with the adults. It provided as good an opportunity as any for the youth to childishly stick his tongue out at his mentor's back.

He mocked his uncle in his head, not wanting to voice his frustrations aloud. Well, OF COURSE humans do weird human things, Heron. How silly must you be not to know this, Heron? Blah blah blah. He hated the so-called civilized world already.

Spitting one last time over the side of the pool, Heron tightly closed his mouth and held his nose before sinking into the water. As he drifted closer to the bottom, he did his best to release the tension in his muscles. As silly as a bath every day sounded…the water from this pool felt marvelous. It was no small luxury to have his muscles treated to such heat. While there were some hot springs in the forest, they were so far from where he roamed; it was usually not worth the effort to find one most of the time.

He continued to slide all the way down into the water until he came into a sitting position. He wasn't worried about passing out. His record for holding his breath was impressive, though not nearly as long as any aquatic mammal. Right now, the youth just needed a few moments beneath the silent waters to think. So much had happened in the last couple of hours, it was hard to believe. It felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under him. In some ways, that statement was accurate. In no way could Hogwarts be a substitute for the familiar surroundings of the Forest.

Yet…

There was something to be gained here. Heron could not figure what it was just yet, but there was a reason he was meant to go with Moony. If he truly believed in the magic of the Forest and the Fates beyond his control, he should try a little harder…He need to fit in here. That would mean watching his behavior more. He could not afford to show any hostility or aggression. If he was merely a student here and someone on the bottom of the hierarchy, he needed to work at it and be the best he could be. Maybe within due time, he could become someone respected in their own right. Honestly, as long as he wasn't turned into the omega whipping boy, he would be satisfied with his new human status.

Of course, that was something else to consider. Now that he was here within the castle, it was an undeniable fact: Heron was a human. His birthparents were human, and so was he. He could not escape the fact…But could he learn to live with it? That would take a little bit more to be comfortable with. For his entire life, the wild teen had lived as a creature of the forest – learning as one, eating as one, speaking as one. Part of him feared such would lie as a boundary to his life here. Could walking upright and speaking English be enough to make humans accept him?

…Did he want to be accepted?

He thought about it for a few long moments. If he could join himself freely with the likes of those outside of unicorn herds, he should be able to do the same to humans. They could be another branch of his family. His limited range of experiences already showed that he could share some deep and intimate connections with a few (such as Sirius) or his experiences could be dangerous and exciting (such as with the dark beta). That was no different than in the forest. He would never be universally loved, nor universally hated.

Heron smiled, and the warm water pressed against his lips. He would have to surface soon, but not quite yet. Vaguely, he wondered about the passage of time denoted by humans. He would have to learn soon enough. Describing time in terms of shadows or moons would probably not work within the confines of indoors.

As he was pondering such manners, he felt a small slither of something against his back. Turning, Heron squinted open his eyes to see what it was. His eyes burned slightly at the 'soap', but his curiosity made him look. After all, he hadn't seen any fish in the water before…Instead, what he saw was a translucent white hand reached out towards the boy, palm up in offering. He looked up at the surface of the water and saw only a shimmering purple and white layer of bubbles rolling across the water's surface.

Turning back to the hand, he gently poked it. The fingers turned quickly and grabbed onto his wrist before reeling him to the surface. He broke the water like a fish on the line, jumping and gasping in at the sudden influx of air. Shaking his head to rid it of the water and soap still clinging, he carefully opened his eyes to survey the adults from beneath lowered lashes. There was panic on the faces of Sirius and Moony. Dumbledore showed slight concern. The beta sneered.

Heron's brain was able to connect the dots fairly quickly this time. He must have been underwater longer than he thought. Still, he didn't think enough time had passed for any real concern over him to develop…Gingerly, he swam to the side of the pool and hoisted himself out to sit on the ledge. Soap dripped off of him and he could feel the water droplets quickly turning cold in the air as they slid down his chest. Goosebumps rose all over his darkly tanned skin.

"_Are we done here then?"_ Heron asked, tilting his head to the side to ring out his long hair. When it was bogged down with water and made to straight flatly, the tips ended just short of his shoulder blades. It was quite tangled, but he never knew just what was the best way of straightening the knots out. His Aunt Daisy usually took care of the mess for him. He glanced up at the human males. Most of them had longer hair. Perhaps one would be able to aid him.

Firenze smiled. "_Not yet. They were worried about your safety when you did not resurface after a 2 minutes. Then it was going on 3."_

Heron looked at the centaur blankly. "_2 or 3 what?" _he asked. "_M…minutes? Is that the human measure of time?" _

"_Ah, yes, well…Perhaps it would be best to save things like that for a lesson later on, hm?" _the palomino grinned before he grew slightly somber. "_Although I will not be the one to teach you. After today, I will head back to the forest. Instead, they plan on having a very dedicated student teach you. She seems like she will be quite qualified, as she currently maintains the role of head female student."_

Heron nodded thoughtfully and started to stand. The beta, seeing the boy make a move to stand, snapped out a command. "You…of it!"

"_Ah…He says you didn't scrub." _The amusement was plain to hear in Firenze's voice. "_But I suppose you aren't use to that, are you?" _

"…_.Scrub what?" _The teen looked blankly back and forth between his uncle and the other adults.

Firenze chuckled and said something to the beta, causing the man's face to twist in slight disgust. Apparently scrubbing was important. Something that the humans (or at least the beta) took seriously when it came to hygiene. Usually, when Heron or any other creature in the forest bathed, it was mostly a matter of swimming around and splashing themselves with enough water to cause the sweat and a layer of dirt to slough off.

The dark beta pointed one of those magic sticks at Heron and said something. A sudden breeze arose and pushed Heron back into the water, causing the teen to splutter wildly as he tried to keep his head above the soapy water. Another breeze shortly followed, but instead of passing over him, this air current latched onto him like a hand. Bubbles rose around his body, shifting wildly. It was almost as if they were trying to polish him off in the same way a goblin would a gemstone. The sensation was very odd as the bubbles fizzed and popped, working into a frenzy over his skin. It didn't quite…hurt, but it didn't feel all that great either.

Heron looked down through the sudsy screen and saw his skin was starting to become pink under the bubbles' administrations. That was enough, he decided, as he started to push out of the water. The youth could see the beta sneer at him from across the room. The bubbles suddenly doubled, and the pressure they exerted on him increased. It seemed the beta didn't think he was thoroughly clean or 'scrubbed' or whatever the man was trying to do.

Growling slightly at the force being put on him, Heron reached out with his senses and felt through the water for its energy. Everything in the world had a form of energy. It all stemmed through the same place, somewhere deep within the earth. However, with a little bit of know-how, one could use it for their own purposes.

It didn't take him long to find it and begin gathering it beneath his feet. In all actuality, mere moments had passed while he searched. With the energy of the water behind him now though, he could probably…

The water rose beneath Heron, creating a small wave strong enough for him to keep his feet planted firmly on it. There was some resistance as he pushed against the shield of bubbles the beta created. The effort was testimony to the beta's strength. He once heard outsiders weren't as strong magically as those who lived in the Forest. The fact that there were non-magic users out there seemed to indicate this was true. That meant the dark man had to be exceptionally strong within his circle of humans. It would make sense – he was beta after all.

The wave Heron rode carried him to the edge of the pool and he stepped out, shaking off the lingering bubbles as he did so. He glanced at his skin. It wasn't raw, but it was a shade he'd never seen before. Was he supposed to be that color?

As he examined himself, the adults snapped out of their shock at seeing him break the beta's spell. Moony flicked another magic stick at Heron and a stream of fresh water poured over him, getting rid of any remaining suds. At the same time, Sirius came rushing over with a long, white length of fluffy fabric. The two babbled at him, and each other.

"_Yes, I think that this arrangement will work out," _Firenze said softly to himself. Heron was sure he meant it to be a private observation, but the teen's hearing was excellent. Still, the approval of his uncle made him feel significantly more relaxed about what was going on. In a louder voice, Firenze continued. "_You will want to go ahead and get dry. That's what the towel is for. Humans don't have the luxury of sitting around in the sun all day to dry." _

"_T-ow-l?" _Heron examined the fabric before he grabbed it and started mopping up the water on his skin. "_What do you know…It works!" _He enjoyed a few moments of running the warm towel across his body for a few moments. As he finished, he noticed Sirius awkwardly trying to convey he should wrap it around his waist. Nudity really did embarrass humans a lot, or so it would seem. Smiling in good humor, he did as the man requested. "_So, now what?" _

Firenze tilted his head in thought for a moment before turning to Dumbledore to ask a question. The elderly man had been fairly quiet for the majority of the time since they left the small room. His eyes were piercing, however. Heron could feel himself being weighed and measured as the day progressed. He hoped though that he would not be found wanting. It seemed like such a waste to come so far and then be turned away. Had it really been less than a day since Moony wandered into the werewolves' clearing?

"_Since you have been deemed clean enough, it seems the next things on the list would be to dress you and then to run some tests," _the centaur said before pausing. "_Ah, well, I suppose saying 'tests' would not be my best choice of words. Severus Snape – the beta you have met - and Poppy Pomfrey – a woman in another part of the castle - will examine your fitness. They may do some things that are unusual or alarming to someone of your background. This may include collecting some of your blood or hair, looking in your mouth or ears, hitting your knees…Things of that nature. Whatever you do, do not attack them as they do this. They want to see how healthy you are. Severus Snape is also interested in cracking the 'code', as he puts it, to Avantas. Examining you will possibly give him hints on how to brew a potion that would allow free speech between you and an English speaker…That is, until you learn English on your own." _The look Firenze gave Heron was a weighty one, causing the teen to shift uncomfortably. This time, he would learn. Otherwise, he might end up with a hoof print shaped bruise …

Dumbledore said something and Firenze nodded in response. He continued speaking, passing on the message to his nephew. "_They are also interested in testing your magical prowess. They have seen what they deem to be possibly accidental magic usage. They want to see what you can do with a wand." _

"…_A what?" _The term flew completely over the young man's head.

"_The sticks they use when they want to perform magic." _Firenze shrugged. "_I know it seems sort of ridiculous, but try to play by their rules. Humans are very particular about the way they view the world." _

"…_I don't think I can perform magic with a stick." _Heron stopped and thought about what his uncle was asking of him. "_Oh, am I supposed to grow a stick? I can do that. I mean…I couldn't cause an adult tree to grow, but I could probably prod a small sapling to grow. Their sticks aren't that big anyway. A sapling should be fine, right?" _The young man turned and faced Moony and Sirius, double checking real quick to make sure his towel was firmly in place. He held out a hand, palm up.

As the two stared at him in confusion, he made a 'give me' motion and gestured to the wand in Moony's hand. A moment passed before the two realized what he was asking. He could tell the moment Moony made the connection as his hand clamped down compulsively on the stick and took a step back.

"_Ah, Heron, bad idea," _Firenze said, putting a hand on his nephew's shoulder. He shook his head negatively at the two men. A motion meant to calm them and say 'he didn't mean anything by it'. It seemed it was a sentiment that was being uttered too often today. Heron imagined it would happen a lot more before this was over. "_The wands are given to them at a young age. They hold special meaning. Never take a wand from another wizard, outside of combat." _

"_They are given to them?" _Heron frowned. He had wanted to see Moony's so he could get a better idea of what kind of sapling he would have to grow…But it seemed there was another method of acquiring a wand. "_Where do I get one from then? Will they give me one?" _

The centaur chuckled. "_Come, let us get you dressed and we will go take those tests, hm? All will be explained soon." _

* * *

Man! That was absolutely grueling, but absolutely worth it. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me over the last year. Though no one on this site knew it, I was dealing with a lot of stuff and every review warmed my heart bit by bit. It took me forever to get back up and working again, but here I am.

In the original, this entire chapter was essentially a few paragraphs. Even in my outlines for the new rewrite, I imagined this would only take half of a chapter. Heron took a bath. So what? But I wanted to use this opportunity to get more into his head. How does he think about the everyday objects or trials placed in front of him? I also wanted to play with character interactions a bit more. What do the adults think of Heron?

Another important difference, Hermione and Ron aren't present. In the original, they were there since the beginning. However, there didn't seem to be a real point in it. Why were they with the adults? Why didn't Dumbledore send them away when a wild child appeared? Too many things didn't make sense to me. This corrects that.

For the next chapter, be ready for Heron to find a wand and test out his magical capabilities. I plan to go more into detail about Magic and the differences of it within our two settings. We will also start getting more into the point of the story – his interactions and life as a human, without Firenze to guide him. So far, there has been a lot of intro…Hopefully it has been very interesting, but it is still just introduction. After all, he hasn't even met our two romantic interests! If anything, I imagine that points to a very loooooong story when this ends.

Hope you enjoyed!


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